Dan Schultz actually shipped me some BRASS bits and pieces that I could possibly have used to make one of these, but - though the stuff he sent (plus what I have here) probably would have done it -I decided to hold out for the genuine p.o.s. I believe I should contact Dan and offer to return his items...Dan...??

Wow - a guy who restores mutes - that's great - and it is an interesting web page.

A recording bass mute - I've never seen one before - I'd really like to see it in action - where you have to do a quick in and out and back in! Please post the video when you do that and the TNFJ will judge your efforts on style, speed, fluidity, level of audience distraction and comedic effect.

I'll start playing the ancient Besson compensating Eb (on the boat) with it's RECORDING bell once again, and use that thing as (mostly) a sight-gag (if nothing else). i.e. Folks will come up to the bandstand while we're packing up, and ask, "...so what is that big red-and-white thing you stuck in your bell a couple of times...??"

Sonically, I'll probably use it (again, with the cruise ship jazz band) when someone in the "front line" decides to play a solo chorus with their straight mute. The drummer (rather than a typical beat) can choke his cymbal on 2-and-4, and I can offer very brittle (Stonelined-muted) bass notes on 1-and-3. #MoreVariety"More variety" = "more of the passengers paying attention to us, instead of chatting", and "paying more attention to us" = "higher ratings of us on passengers' review cards at the ends of their cruises", and "higher ratings for us" = "more job security"... ...The job only pays a few thousand a year...but (well...) it's a good little gig, it beats working, and (as my friend, a fine trombonist, Ken Spain, is often quoted as saying,

Kenny Spain wrote:Even a bad gig is better than a good job.

Guys-driving-golf-carts take us from our parked cars down that spiral steel ramp to the River-stage-adjustable boat dock...but this mute won't be any extra trouble to schlep down there...I'll just stick it into the bell of the tuba.